Court hearing set for local SRO accused of sexual contact with teen

Published: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 10:52 a.m.

Last Modified: Tuesday, January 21, 2014 at 10:52 a.m.

The lawyer representing a former Henderson County school resource officer accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a student waived his client’s first court appearance on Tuesday morning in District Court.

Daniel Lindsey, 27, was arrested in the wee hours of Saturday morning and faces three felonious counts of sex offense with a student. Lindsey was the resource officer at Balfour Education Center until his arrest early Saturday morning. After he was charged, Lindsey was dismissed from the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office.

Attorney Scott Sheffron, appearing for Lindsey, was given a date of Feb. 11 for Lindsey’s probable cause hearing.

Lindsey is accused of having a consensual sexual relationship last fall with a female student who was 16 at the time.

According to North Carolina General Statutes, “If a defendant, who is a teacher, school administrator, student teacher, school safety officer, or coach, at any age, or who is other school personnel, and who is at least four years older than the victim engages in vaginal intercourse or a sexual act with a victim who is a student, at any time during or after the time the defendant and victim were present together in the same school, but before the victim ceases to be a student, the defendant is guilty of a Class G felony, except when the defendant is lawfully married to the student.”

“Consent is not a defense to a charge” under the statute. A Class G felony carries a minimum penalty range of 10 to 13 months in prison, according to N.C. sentencing guidelines.

<p>The lawyer representing a former Henderson County school resource officer accused of engaging in sexual conduct with a student waived his client's first court appearance on Tuesday morning in District Court.</p><p>Daniel Lindsey, 27, was arrested in the wee hours of Saturday morning and faces three felonious counts of sex offense with a student. Lindsey was the resource officer at Balfour Education Center until his arrest early Saturday morning. After he was charged, Lindsey was dismissed from the Henderson County Sheriff's Office.</p><p>Attorney Scott Sheffron, appearing for Lindsey, was given a date of Feb. 11 for Lindsey's probable cause hearing.</p><p>Lindsey is accused of having a consensual sexual relationship last fall with a female student who was 16 at the time.</p><p>According to North Carolina General Statutes, “If a defendant, who is a teacher, school administrator, student teacher, school safety officer, or coach, at any age, or who is other school personnel, and who is at least four years older than the victim engages in vaginal intercourse or a sexual act with a victim who is a student, at any time during or after the time the defendant and victim were present together in the same school, but before the victim ceases to be a student, the defendant is guilty of a Class G felony, except when the defendant is lawfully married to the student.”</p><p>“Consent is not a defense to a charge” under the statute. A Class G felony carries a minimum penalty range of 10 to 13 months in prison, according to N.C. sentencing guidelines.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>